Casimero’s suspension in Japan extended to 1 year

The Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) took Johnriel Casimero’s weight issue seriously.

After Casimero failed to make the 122-pound limit in his 10-round non-title bout against Saul Sanchez in Japan over the weekend, the JBC decided to punish the Filipino boxer with a one-year suspension.

“We [at] JBC have already suspended Casimero for one year due to his overweight. This is our JBC rule, so he is not available to fight in Japan for one year,” JBC official Tsuyoshi Yasukochi said in a GMA Network News report.

Earlier, WBO international boxing judge Edward Ligas mentioned that the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) was initially set to suspend Casimero for six months due to his weight infraction.

Casimero missed the 122-pound limit twice during the weigh-in for his non-title bout against Sanchez.

Despite the weight issue, the fight proceeded, and Casimero knocked out Sanchez in the first round. However, the celebrations were short-lived as the JBC ultimately decided to impose a stricter one-year suspension.

This marks the third time Casimero has failed to make weight for a fight. The first instance occurred in December 2021, when he was set to defend his WBO bantamweight title against Paul Butler. Casimero did not attend the weigh-in, citing “viral gastritis” as the reason for his absence.

In April 2022, he was again barred from competing due to using a sauna to cut weight, which violated the British Boxing Board of Control’s regulations. As a result of these infractions and his inability to defend the title twice, the WBO decided to strip Casimero of his bantamweight championship.

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Mark Nonoy officially signs with Terrafirma

Mark Nonoy has officially signed his rookie contract with the Terrafirma Dyip and is set to make his debut in the 2024-25 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, starting November 27.

The speedy point guard signed his contract late last week in the presence of his manager Marvin Espiritu and Dyip team manager Ronald Tubid.

In a social media post, Nonoy thanked his former UAAP teams, the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers and the De La Salle University Green Archers; his high school team, Hua Siong College of Iloilo, and mentor Bing Conlu; as well as his MPBL squad, the Iloilo United Royals, for helping him achieve his PBA dreams.

“Another door has opened and another opportunity to grab. Another journey to conquer and another family to love. Thank you, UST FAMILY and THANK YOU, La Sallians this is the FRUIT of your ROOTS #coachbingconlu #HuaSiong #iloilounitedroyal #BBCfam #ThankYouLord,” Nonoy said.

Nonoy, the No. 10 overall pick in the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft, was unable to suit up for the Dyip after the Iloilo United Royals decided to keep him until the conclusion of their 2024 MPBL season.

The La Carlota City, Negros Occidental native is expected to enhance the Dyip’s backcourt, which includes Juan Miguel Tiongson, Stanley Pringle, Paolo Hernandez, and former UST teammate Brent Paraiso.

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UP fan admits confronting DLSU coach Topex Robinson over alleged spitting incident

A female UP Fighting Maroons fan admitted confronting DLSU Green Archers head coach Michael “Topex” Robinson over the spitting allegations.

In a social media post that recently went viral, Tricia Endozo-Villanueva said she chased Robinson in the hallways of SM Mall of Asia Arena after the DLSU-UP game on October 6 to question him about allegedly spitting on Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres.

“Last night after the UP vs. DLSU game, while waiting for our friends to exit, Coach Topex Robinson passed by in front of me. I grabbed the chance to ask him, ‘Coach, bakit kelangan mandura?’ Obviously, he ignored me,” Endozo-Villanueva said.

“Some DLSU fans asked to take photos with him, so I took the chance to stand beside the photographer to look at him in the eye and ask again, ‘Coach, why did you have to spit on Reyland?’” she added.

Despite repeated questioning, Endozo-Villanueva said Robinson kept ignoring her, which led her to shout, “Walang respeto sa UAAP, coach? Ano, kala nyo dito, ligang labas na sinasalihan nyo?”

Since Robinson continued to ignore her, Endozo-Villanueva said she kept following the Green Archers’ head coach as he was about to take the escalator to the MOA Arena bridgeway.

“I continued hounding them, and by that time, Asst. Coach Caloy Garcia had caught up with them, so I asked him the same question. His way of response to me? A hand motion saying, ‘It wasn’t me’ then pointed to Topex,” she said.

“See, even he knows who did what. He could have denied it categorically when he had the chance. A guilty person will avoid answering a direct question, hoping it will go away. Except it wouldn’t,” Endozo-Villanueva concluded.

Reacting to Endozo-Villanueva’s questioning, Robinson said in a Saturday night press conference that he deliberately ignored her because he was with his family when she was pressing him.

“Dun sa taong sumigaw sa akin dun sa MOA, Mrs. Villanueva, ‘yung pinahiya niyo ako sa harap ng pamilya ko, sa harap ng tao, inaakusahan niyo ako,” Robinson said. “Hindi ko kayo masagot kasi hindi po talaga ako gumawa nun.”

“But sana po pag nagkita tayo meron din po kayong lakas ng loob na magsabi sa akin na mali po ‘yung inakusa niyo sa akin. Sana po manindigan kayo,” he added. “‘Yung huhusgahan niyo po ako ng hindi niyo nalalaman ‘yung buong storya, siyempre po masakit din po para sa akin.”

Robinson faced backlash after a video appeared to show him spitting at Torres during the Green Archers’ 68-56 victory over the Fighting Maroons last week at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Fighting Maroons filed a protest with UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag regarding the incident, submitting video evidence of the alleged spitting. However, the league decided to issue only “a stern formal warning” to both Torres and Robinson.

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UP’s Reyland Torres moves on from alleged spitting incident: ‘Tapos na po ‘yun’

University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres has moved on from the alleged spitting incident involving De La Salle University Green Archers head coach Michael “Topex” Robinson.

Torres stated that he chose not to dwell on the controversy and instead focused on their game against the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers on Sunday, which they won 83-73.

“Ah siguro nagfocus lang ako sa game, kaya isinantabi muna namin ‘yun. Mas mahalaga ‘yung game eh, mas mahalaga ‘yung team namin, so tapos na po ‘yun,” Torres told the media after the Sunday night game.

“May goal din kami as a team kaya dun na lang kami magfocus, hindi ko naman isasa-alang alang ‘yung team ko dahil lang dun sa insidente na ‘yun, kaya sa games na lang kami nag focus,” he added.

The Bago City, Negros Occidental native expressed that he is fine with the UAAP Board’s decision to issue him and Robinson a “stern formal warning” for the alleged spitting incident.

“Sa akin naman, okay lang naman kasi pinag-isipan din naman siguro nila ‘yun eh, naging patas lang sila,” Torres said. “Sa part nila, mahirap ‘yun eh, ‘yung mag isip. Kung anuman ‘yung naging decision nila, thankful pa din ako dun.”

In a separate post-game presser, Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwyn Monteverde expressed respect for the UAAP Board’s decision not to suspend anyone, hoping the league will be strict on similar incidents in the future.

“We respect the decision (of the UAAP Board), but at the end of the day, I am confident will be very strict on wala nang mangyayaring incident ng pagdudura,” Monteverde said. “For me, what is important is ‘yung well-being ng mga players.”

Robinson faced backlash after a video seemingly showed him spitting at Torres during the Green Archers’ 68-56 victory over the Fighting Maroons last week at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Fighting Maroons filed a protest with UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag, submitting video evidence of the incident, but the league decided to issue only “a stern formal warning” to Torres and Robinson.”

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Father of Tottenham Spurs star Son ordered to pay fine over football school abuse

The father of Spurs star Son Heung-min has been ordered by a South Korean court to pay a fine of three million won ($2,220) for violating child welfare law at his football school, reports said.

Son Woong-jung is a former footballer who wrote a best-selling memoir detailing how he helped his son become one of the best strikers in the English Premier League.

But earlier this year the parents of a young player at his football academy said their son was hit by coach Son Heung-yun, the brother of the Spurs player, leaving a large bruise on his left thigh.

The student and his teammates were also subjected to verbal abuse by Son senior, according to his family.

Son Woong-jung, Son Heung-yun and another individual were each ordered to pay three million won for violating child welfare law, Yonhap news agency and other South Korean media reported.

The three, who can appeal, have also been required to complete 40 hours of educational sessions on child abuse.

The Chuncheon District Court’s decision on Friday followed the indictment of the three by prosecutors on August 30, who requested that the court impose fines.

AFP reached out to the court and the lawyers representing both sides, but did not receive a reply.

Son Woong-jung has apologised but said the coaching staff at his academy “never spoke or acted in a way that wasn’t rooted in love for the children”.

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PBA reiterates Amores needs counselor’s clearance for reinstatement

The PBA reiterated that NorthPort Batang Pier guard John Amores can only return from his conference-long suspension after presenting a clearance from his counselor.
PBA Legal Counsel Atty. Gregorio Narvasa II clarified this following criticism of the league’s decision to issue Amores a conference-long suspension rather than an indefinite ban.

“He has to undergo counseling; let’s just say that, when the period of suspension has already lapsed, he will not be allowed to play until he gets a clearance from the counselors,” Narvasa said in an interview with Bilyonaryo News Channel’s The Scorecard.

“It is really not a slap on the wrist because he is suspended for the rest of the conference, so the PBA supports its teams, coaches, players, and staffs as much as we can, of course, within reasonable bounds,” he added.

The PBA official added that the league’s intention is not to ostracize players like Amores when they violate PBA rules and standards, but rather to guide them through corrective measures.

“You have to understand our players come from diverse backgrounds, and sometimes a bit of support, caring, and understanding from the PBA family will get them through their difficulties,” he said.

“The PBA helps them overcome these issues for them to be better citizens,” Narvasa added. “The PBA, of course, will be most happy if, through its compassion and concern, the players who were once rouge or rough will become the people’s inspiration, hardcourt heroes, and model citizens.”

Narvasa also stated that the league trusts its players to make the most of the opportunities given to them, believing that, with the care and guidance the PBA provides, they will not squander those chances.

“They must learn from their mistakes, and they should prove that they are worthy to remain in the PBA,” he said. “If they continue to not heed this support given to them by the PBA, then we have no choice but to separate them from the PBA.”

The former Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers star was suspended by the PBA after being involved in a shooting incident following a basketball game in Lumban, Laguna, last month.

This isn’t the first time Amores has been involved in a “basketbrawl.” In July 2022, during a pre-season game, he punched University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ Mark Belmonte while still playing for the Heavy Bombers. Later that year, in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Amores charged the College of St. Benilde Blazers’ bench and punched several players.

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Topex Robinson asks UP member: ‘Kapag po ba squatter, masamang tao?’

De La Salle University Green Archers head coach Michael “Topex” Robinson responded to a comment from a member of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, who referred to him as a “squatter” following their UAAP Season 87 encounter last week.

Breaking his silence on allegations that he spat on the shoulder of Fighting Maroons guard Reyland Torres, Robinson stated that it is unfair to associate a negative connotation with the term “squatter.”

“At ‘yung tumawag sa akin ng squatter, maraming salamat po dahil talaga namang naghirap ako, at kung anuman ‘yung narating ko, ‘yung na-achieve ko, dahil po pinagsikapan ko,” Robinson said during a post-game presser after DLSU’s 77-68 victory over the University of the East Red Warriors at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday night.

“Ang tanong ko lang po, kapag po ba squatter, masamang tao? Kasi po tinawag po akong squatter eh, hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling ‘yun, pero ang squatter po ba ay masamang tao?” he added.

“Hindi ba po ang squatter hindi naman nila ginusto na maghirap sila? Pero nag-aral sila, nakakuha sila ng scholarship, at ngayon nagkaroon sila ng maayos na buhay at ginamit nila ‘yung pinaghirapan nila para sa pamilya,” he further said.

However, Robinson did not identify the individual from UP, nor did he provide the name of the person he referred to.

Robinson also called out a certain Mrs. Villanueva, claiming she heckled him in front of his family after the Green Archers’ 68-56 victory over the Fighting Maroons last Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“Dun sa taong sumigaw sa akin dun sa MOA, Mrs. Villanueva, ‘yung pinahiya niyo ako sa harap ng pamilya ko, sa harap ng tao, inaakusahan niyo ako,” Robinson said. “Hindi ko kayo masagot kasi hindi po talaga ako gumawa nun.”

“Sana po manindigan kayo na mali po ‘yung inakusa niyo sa akin. Tao rin po ako, ‘yung huhusgahan niyo po ako ng hindi niyo nalalaman ‘yung buong storya, siyempre po masakit din po para sa akin,” he added.

Robinson faced backlash after a video appeared to show him spitting at Torres during the DLSU-UP game. In response, the Fighting Maroons filed a protest with UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag, submitting video evidence of the alleged incident.
However, the UAAP Board found the footage inconclusive and ultimately issued only “a stern formal warning” to both Robinson and Torres.

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